Worth it to change thermal paste on 9500 Pro?

[Digerati]

I just got a new ATI 9500 Pro card and have it running at its stock 275/270mhz.

With Powerstrip the green area that I can move the sliders up to is only slightly above the stock settings as it is, which doesn't allow me too much room before I get into questionable territory.

I have some arctic silver III left from when I attached my new cpu and heatsink so I was wondering if I would be able to see significant overclocking gains by cleaning out the old paste and adding the arctic silver III between the ati heatsink and chip?

 

[Sazar]

Originally posted by Digerati
I just got a new ATI 9500 Pro card and have it running at its stock 275/270mhz.

With Powerstrip the green area that I can move the sliders up to is only slightly above the stock settings as it is, which doesn't allow me too much room before I get into questionable territory.

I have some arctic silver III left from when I attached my new cpu and heatsink so I was wondering if I would be able to see significant overclocking gains by cleaning out the old paste and adding the arctic silver III between the ati heatsink and chip?

doubt thermal paste will make a massive difference...

you can always try it but do so @ your own risk

 

[Plexapotamus]

always replace thermal paste on all heatsinks with AS3, the ones they come with are not very good. And every little degree you save can only help.

 

[Taurus]

i certainly would. unless you're pinching pennies and don't want to waste the 20¢ and 20 minutes to apply AS3. after all, the factory compound on there might not even be completely covering the chip. it's always good to be thorough and confident that the heatsink is being as efficient as possible.

 

[Friend of Bill]

You'll only get a few FPS oc'ing the card and void your warranty. I'd hype it up down the road when the warranty has expried.

 

[Plexapotamus]

Originally posted by taurus
i certainly would. unless you're pinching pennies and don't want to waste the 20¢ and 20 minutes to apply AS3. after all, the factory compound on there might not even be completely covering the chip. it's always good to be thorough and confident that the heatsink is being as efficient as possible.

Actually its been my experence that there is usually too much of the factory compound on the chip, and more is not better.

 

[Taurus]

Originally posted by Plexapotamus
Actually its been my experence that there is usually too much of the factory compound on the chip, and more is not better.

also true.